Zombie game gets employees doing their 10,000 steps

Work & Lifestyle

Step Ahead: Zombies is a story-themed walking challenge that encourages workers to escape an in-game zombie invasion through IRL activity.

We have seen a number of corporate wellness programs that aim to create a healthier workforce, which will in turn save employers money on health insurance payouts. EatRight Rewards offers employees cash returns when they purchase healthy foods and FwdHealth enables companies to track their workers’ exercise regimes in order to lower their premiums.

But these initiatives only work if employees actually participate and, as the rise of gamified exercise proves, one of the best ways to get reluctant adopters onboard is to disguise their task within a game. Step Ahead: Zombies does exactly this — the latest fitness game from wellness platform FIX is a story-themed walking challenge that encourages workers to escape an in-game zombie invasion through IRL activity.

Employers can sign their company up to participate and players can take part using a variety of devices, including smartphone, tablet and desktop. The game splits the workforce into teams who must race to get to a safe house. The teams progress through the game in accordance with their average step count, so if a lazy player is letting their co-workers down they’re likely to feel their wrath. If the team fails to reach the safe house, they get eaten and join the zombie team. Players can use wearables to input their participation and even log a healthy diet which will make them more resistant to zombie contact.

FIX have seen impressive results already, one firm saw employee engagement rise by 20 percent. The company are currently working on other versions of the game including an alien-themed edition. How else could employers use gamified exercise to stimulate their workers?